Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-02-25

lANsINd, Feh'y -. 1887.
! The two houses OF the legislature com
menced the work OF the week hy devoting
n large share OF their attention 10 the no.
tlce and int oduction of balls and the pas
sage OF such local measures ms ought To
become operative in time for the April
elections An unusually large mum
her Of this class have been passed Many
new villages have been incorporated, 9th
ers have had their charters amended aud
this branch of legislative work may be
considered pretty we'll out of the way.
The committee to investigate the man
agement Of the soldiers home are unable
Ia agree upon report Some of the
members favor ceusuring Colonel Long
as we'll as his subordinates, while
Others dissent from this plan. One thing
| is certain: II there he but one grain of
truth in the testimony of the inmates as
published the report ought To not To be a
white washed affair. Let the people know
how the manager and his subordinates
have betrayed their trusts. and then nIete
ont To them the puni> they so richly
deserve. Only con lectures can he made
10 the nature OF the report, that document
beiug wholly inaccessible. The sub com
mitt.e's inclination Is To leave to the legis-
lature the censure OF the management II
| upon perusal of the testimony of thirty
two witnesses covering 7S9 folioS Of paper.
| the members find themselves inclined to
censure. They further say that they used
every means TO procure the whole truth
about the institution. held private sessions
! SO that the witnesses should not be over
nwed or brow beaten and al iured all the
witnesses To speak freely of everything
about the institution, with the kno " ledge
that they should fully bs protected by the
committee.
The senate has adopted a resolution re
\ nupstIup fha Of thu m rH
OF health 10 furnish n detailed statement
OF all money expended and for what pur-
pose, for tue year ending December 81,
1856
The governor has approved the Joint
resolutions asking Congress To pass the
hill for "A settlement Of the accounts due
the states, aud appropriating $4,000 for
the relief of certain residents OF Lyons
who have suffered losses 10y the floods in
Grand River.
Gov. Luce has approved the bill for the
election of an additional judge OF the
supreme court. As il now stands the law
requires one Judge TO be chosen at the
spring cleo ion for full term of ten years,
another Judge for the term of eight years.
After the present election ten wears are 70
constitute the full term of judgeShip.
The Baker conspiracy law will remain
on the statute DOCKS, the Dill TO repeal III
having been killed in the house. The de-
bate on the measure grew very warm, and
members took occasion to indulge in per
sonalities 10 a degree which threatened TO
end in an uproar but for the timely inter
ference of the speaker.
The bill TO admit the wives OF veterans
to the state soldiers home is doomed TO
defeat. The bill i now on the house cal
endar, but Mr.. Manly, who introduced the
bill and championed its passage with
vigor and earnestness, has undergone a
marked change Of heart. This early
in the session. Since the bill was intro
duced Mr. Manly attended the investiga-
ton at the home, md is now convinced
that IL the wives were admitted the build
ing would have TO be entirely remodeled
or rebuilt, and that the proposed admis
sion is not at all feasible.
Mr.. White OF Eaton Rapids has been in
the city exhibiting to the railroad com
missioner plan which he has patented
for heating passenger trains without
stoves. BY number Of ingenious devices
he carries either hot air or steam from the
smoke arch OF the locomotive through
pipes along one side of the cars returning
it TO the locomotive on the other. Mr.
White things that the cars can be made
comfortable with very little extra expen-
diture the surplus heat in the smoke arch
doing the work He has been invited TO
exhibit his device to the officers OF the
Michigan Central.
Mr.. Baumgardner has taken time by the
forelock, and has introduced bill prohib
iting the use Of stoves on passenger cars.
The governor has signed the bill which
creates the new county OF Gogebic. He
Will soon be called upon TO sign the bill
creating the county Of Luce in the eastern
part OF the northern peninsula. Gogebec
county is taken from the western part OF
the northern peninsula. and the county Of
Luce is taken from the western part OF
Chippewa and the northwestern part of
Mackinac with the county seat at New
berry.
James W. Robinson from Vestaburg
Montcalm county, has given notice Of
bill worthy OF passage. 1t will provide for
the covering of machinery in mills and
factories where workmen are liable to be
injured, such saw mills This bill will
cover one OF the planks in the platform OF
the independent labor party Of the city OF
Detroit.
The senate passed the hill TO organize
the county Of Luce, but refused 10 give 10
immediate effect because the bill gave TO
the governor the appointment OF the coun-
~ officers. The next dav the bill was
brought out again for iii isson by
senator who objects to naming the county
after a living man. and proposed TO change
the name Of the county from Luce
TO Lincoln. This proposition raised some
thing OF u commotion. and rather lively
debate ensued. The motion 10 change the
name was lost by vote of 9 to IL, and the
bill was recommitted.
1t is reported. and on good authority,
too. that two agents OF graveyard insur-
ance companies are at work TO prevent
the passage of the bill to regulate the bust
ness OF cooperative insurance. In spite
OF the efforts Of these lobbyists however,
the bill will undoubtedly go through.
The bill to repeal the wide wagon tire
act has been adversely reported in the
senate, and the bill tabled The bill was
passed several years ago and makes con-
cessions in the way OF road taxes to those
who use wagons with wide tires. IL is
generally conceded that the effect OF the
law has been to keep the public highway
in much better condition.
The non-partisan state central commit
tee. appointed at Detroit on the 18th inst,
by the friends OF the proposed prohibitory
amendment held meeting in the city on